Breaking the Routine
by lighteninglady
Summary: Jack has had enough and needs to make some changes
1. Chapter 1

Note from the Author  
  
Hi all. Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. It's a long story involving my temporary banning from fanfiction.net, but I'm back now and behaving myself. I'm also trying to fix up some of my stories. While I was trying to figure out how to work my document stuff during my banning I managed to delete several chapters of one of my stories and the first chapter of this one. I managed to delete most of my reviews too. ( Anyway, the missing chapters should be back up again soon. hopefully by tonight if I can figure out what the heck I'm doing. Computers really don't like me. heheh ;) Then maybe I'll even get to start updating.  
  
Lighteninglady  
  
Breaking the Routine  
  
Ok, so here's my first attempt at fanfic, so please be gentle. ;) There is more to come, but let's see how this goes first. Much thanks to NG for the beta work. You're awesome. (  
  
Now for the traditional disclaimer. I don't own anything. I'm not making any money off of this. Yadda yadda yadda.  
  
Introductory chapter  
  
He was the first to pull back from what he imagined was the most breathtaking kiss to have ever been shared between two people.  
  
While attempting to calm his own breathing he took in the appearance of his 2IC. Her eyes were still closed, face a radiant blush, and she was gasping for air as well. As she glanced up at him a bit of a smirk graced her ruby lips. Jack's hands disentangled from where they had been caressing her blond locks. Then they slid down the back of her neck, and around to her collarbone, where his thumb began to stroke the smooth creamy skin there.  
  
Was he trembling? Yes. The husky words "Sam, I need you so much" rumbled from deep within his chest and out his mouth. Sam Carter's eyes darkened as she flashed the most brilliant smile. The smile that was all too rare and melted his heart completely every time he saw it. Then her face turned soft and serious. She brought her hand up to cup his cheek, reveling in the friction between her palm and his 5 o'clock shadow. She whispered one simple word, but quite possibly the most important word in either of their vocabularies at the moment."Jack", and then sighed contentedly as they together leaned in for another kiss. A kiss that started slow and sensual and became increasingly heated.  
  
Then there was a sound.. A loud sound. Jack broke away clearly frustrated. "DAMNIT!" The gate klaxons blaring. No? Something else. Reality slowly dawned on him, and to his great disappointment he was in his bed, alone, glaring at that retched alarm clock. It was swiftly hurled across the room and shattered to bits on the wall.  
  
Jack rolled to a slumped sitting position on the edge of his bed and scrubbed his hands over his face and through his hair. Oh, this was going to be another long day. 


	2. Chapter 2

Ok, here it is, chapter two. Same disclaimer as in chapter one, and again, thanks to NG for the beta work. Also thanks to Rural for the encouragement.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Fall was setting in and it was a dreary day in Colorado Springs.  
  
Sam shut off her car and looked up at the cold raindrops splattering on her windshield. One more time she thought of how much she would have liked to stay at home today, curled up in her nice warm bed with the covers up over her head. She gave an exasperated sigh, mentally shook herself into Major Carter mode, gathered her belongings, and headed for the check in point.  
  
Once she had signed in and said her good mornings she headed for the elevator down to level 11 where she would once again go through the routine. Always routines. Sam had the feeling that this was going to be one of those days. One of those long, tedious, uneventful, routine days. Well, it couldn't all be action and adventure.  
  
#######  
  
After heading down to her lab and depositing her briefcase beside her desk she decided to head over to the mess hall for some much needed caffeine.  
  
When she arrived Daniel was already hovering over the freshly brewed pot.  
  
"So, how many cups have you had so far this morning?" Sam lightly ribbed Daniel as she walked up beside him.  
  
"Not enough" he replied with an animated yawn, as he handed her a cup.  
  
"Thanks" Sam said with a smile that just had to be forced at this hour of the morning.  
  
"Anytime Sam"  
  
Daniel turned and wandered off to get back to whatever translation he had been slaving over for who knows how long.  
  
Just as Sam was adding the cream and sugar to the coffee she heard the unmistakable sound of her Colonel shouting expletives out in the hallway. By the time she reached the scene Daniel was sputtering apologies to Jack and his hot coffee covered BDU's. Jack didn't say a thing. He was steaming, in more than one way, and his face was so red he looked about to explode. He looked up at the crowd that had accumulated out in the hall, gave one of the dirtiest looks imaginable, then turned on his heal and strode rapidly down the hall.  
  
Sam glanced up at Daniel, who looked completely helpless at the moment, gave him a sympathetic look, then hurried down the hall towards the Colonel.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Colonel!"  
  
No answer, and he picked up his pace.  
  
Sam sped up to a sprint and pulled the last card she had.. "Jack". Not a shout like the others, but not quite a whisper either.  
  
Jack stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face her. He was in no mood for this, for any of this today.  
  
"Not now, Carter."  
  
Then he looked down, not wanting to see whatever expression may be playing across her features at the moment.  
  
"Sir, please. Are you ok?"  
  
"What do you think Carter?" he said with about as much sarcasm as he could muster at the moment. "I need to go change". And he turned again.  
  
"No, no you don't. First you're coming with me to the infirmary where Janet can check out those burns. That coffee was pretty hot." Sam said with determination.  
  
Jack looked back up a bit surprised. "Uh huh. Now you're giving me orders?"  
  
Sam wasn't standing for the argument. Instead she gently took him by the arm and said "Come on Sir. Let's just go get this taken care of." Then lead him off to the infirmary.  
  
He went without complaint.. Lost in thought the whole way.. Hardly bothered by the scalding coffee.  
  
########  
  
"Ok Doc, am I free to go now?"  
  
"Yes Colonel, but remember to use that salve three times a day for at least a week" She gave him 'the eye' and emphasized, "I mean it!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll be a good boy lest you try to take off after me with your needles." There was a bit of humor in his tone of voice now. Janet was pleased. His previously foul mood was uncharacteristic, even for a Jack O'Neill who'd just been doused with coffee. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
Sam was tapping away at her keyboard when she heard a soft rap at her door then saw it crack open. In peeked Colonel O'Neill, first his head, then the rest of him, like a child trying to stall while entering the principal's office. Sam shook her head and grinned. "Feeling better Sir?"  
  
"Yeah, Janet gave me something for the pain and some kind of sunburn type goop that I've gotta put on the burnt areas for a week"  
  
"Well, that doesn't sound so bad."  
  
Jack pulled up a chair.  
  
"Nah, I've had worse. Worse sunburns even." He said complete with a lopsided grin and a chuckle.  
  
Sam's interest was piqued now. He was up to something.  
  
"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company then."  
  
Two could play at this game.  
  
With a shrug he remarked "What, a friend can't just stop by for a visit anymore?"  
  
Sure, he was up to something. Sam gave him the skeptical look.. and he caved.  
  
"Aw hell Carter, I'm sorry for being such a jerk earlier. I guess you could say I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, and ... and.." Jack looked up, rolled his eyes, sighed "and I'm sorry".  
  
Ok, the shock was registering. Sam was wondering if maybe the Colonel had actually woken up on the right side of the bed this morning. An apology?  
  
The wheels in Carter's head were spinning. She was trying to figure out what to make of all of it. Over analyzing, as always. And then there was resolution. Sam gave him a warm smile, resisted the urge to lay her hand over top of his on the desk, and said "It's ok", sounding almost shy.  
  
"I suppose, but I'd like the chance to make it up to you."  
  
"Really?" The shock was returning.  
  
"Yeah really." Jack said mocking hurt.  
  
"OK"  
  
"OK?"  
  
Sam nodded her head.  
  
Jack looked around the room, trying to find something, anything of interest, then picked up one of the 'doohickeys' from Carter's desk and started fiddling with it.  
  
Sam got up and moved around the desk to remove the 'doohickey' from the Colonel's hands and returned it to its proper place. Then she broke the silence.  
  
"So, what did you have in mind?"  
  
Jack thought for a moment. Confusion briefly flickered across his face then he looked up to meet her gaze.  
  
"How about dinner?" 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
Damn Janet Fraiser and her drugs! What the hell was I thinking asking Carter out for dinner tonight?  
  
Jack thought as he sat in the locker room applying the second dose of goop for the day to his right thigh and part of his chest and stomach. Shaking his head he thanked the gods, whatever gods, that Daniel's coffee hadn't made it anywhere else. For a moment he was slightly amused at the thought of having to stroke salve onto that particular area. That would have been no fun at all.  
  
Then, as any other man would have in his situation, physical and emotional, his mind drifted elsewhere. To a place where someone else would be applying and stroking soothing, yet heating goop to that part of his anatomy. He sighed, imagining the shimmering blue eyes that would be looking up at him full of lust. Then reality reared its ugly head, again. "Aw crap." He exclaimed to no one in specific, then huffed in exasperation.  
  
"Are you well O'Neill?" Came Teal'c's deep voice from seemingly out of nowhere.  
  
Well now Jack was defiantly shaken out of his reverie. "Teal'c buddy?"  
  
"It is I." Teal'c said as he stepped out of one of the stalls, whooshing sounds of a flushing toilet in the background. "You sounded upset a moment ago. Are the burns very uncomfortable?"  
  
"I'm fine Teal'c. Just having one of those days, ya know."  
  
"I am sure I could relate." Was Teal'c actually joking with him? Jack chuckled at the whole situation.  
  
"What is it that you find amusing O'Neill?" Teal'c questioned.  
  
"Nothin'" Jack shook his head and grinned. "So, ya got any big plans tonight?"  
  
"Not tonight O'Neill. I thought I would work out in the gym for a while, and then watch some television." Teal'c paused. "Is there something you would like to talk about O'Neill?"  
  
Jack felt caught. Opened his mouth to speak, closed it again after thinking better of it, then kept it closed before he started imitating a goldfish. "Nope, just making smalltalk." A lame recovery, but it would do.  
  
"Very well, then I shall go and let you finish tending to your burns."  
  
"K. Night Teal'c."  
  
"Goodnight O'Neill." 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
The workday was winding down. There had been no gate activations all day. The mountain was at a stand still, everyone seeming to be trapped in paperwork mode.  
  
'Yup, long day indeed.' Sam thought. But that long day was about to end, because Major Samantha Carter had a date tonight. She immediately chastised herself for that train of thought. Plans, yes, she had plans tonight. And she couldn't help but feel a little excited, even though in the back of her mind she was still arguing that she shouldn't have agreed to this. This was too close. This was personal. She and the Colonel didn't do personal. That was left in the room a long time ago.  
  
###########  
  
In the locker room Sam was pulling the zippers up the sides of her much more stylish civilian boots when Janet walked in.  
  
"Hey Sam," she said with a smile.  
  
"Oh, hi Janet. You actually getting off on time tonight too?"  
  
Janet popped open her locker then sat down on the bench next to Sam.  
  
"Yeah. It's about time, don't ya think?" Janet stated as her shoes hit the floor with a clunk. Stretching her feet and then pulling the pins out of her hair she sighed "Oh god, that feels good."  
  
"Long day huh?"  
  
"Very. The thing is, there was nothing really going on so it just stretched on forever."  
  
For the next few moments the two went about changing and putting their things away in silence.  
  
Then as Janet was pulling her sweater over her head her muffled voice came out, "Hey, how about we go out for some drinks and dinner.," then her head popped out of the neck hole, ".and drinks" she added with a grin.  
  
Sam laughed.  
  
"I'd love to Janet, but I'll have to take a rain check."  
  
"Really? You got plans tonight?"  
  
"Yeah, actually I do. I'm supposed to meet the Colonel tonight for dinner."  
  
Silently she was grateful that they were meeting instead of going together. That just would have been too much.  
  
Janet looked at her in shock. "You're kidding."  
  
"Nope. Apparently he wants to make it up to me for being a jerk earlier today," she said with a shrug.  
  
"Damn the man. He should be taking me to dinner at least once a week with the way he acts up in the infirmary."  
  
They both got a good fit of laughs out of that comment.  
  
"Seriously though Sam, isn't that a bit. I dunno. odd."  
  
"Yeah it is."  
  
"Something going on?"  
  
"No Janet, nothing's going on. Besides, who am I to turn down a free meal," she quipped.  
  
"True. Just don't go cheap on him. Get something good." "Janet!" Sam exclaimed in mock surprise.  
  
More giggling ensued.  
  
It was too bad they couldn't have a girls night out tonight. It wasn't often that they weren't both completely exhausted after work and in good moods. Sam was really starting to get cold feet.  
  
With that thought Sam shut her locker with determination, shrugged on her leather jacket and picked up her bag.  
  
"Well Jan, I'm outta here."  
  
"Okay. Have fun. and don't do anything I wouldn't do," she said with a wink.  
  
Well, Sam could have a little fun with that.  
  
"In that case Janet, we'll be doing obscene things under the table before the appetizers even arrive."  
  
Janet's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.  
  
With a chuckle Sam turned to holler "Night Janet" then walked out of the locker room. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

Jack sat fiddling with the menu in the small Italian restaurant.  He'd hoped that the homey atmosphere of the place would make things easier, but he was still nervous.

He chastised himself for his nervousness.  _Its just Carter.  She's your 2IC for crying out loud!_

That was exactly the problem though.  She was his 2IC and he knew, that in all honesty, he had asked her here for more than just a friendly night out.  He also knew that if he had been completely truthful about his intentions she probably would not have agreed to come.  

After another grumpy scowl the waiter retreated once again and Jack turned back to watching the door just in time to see Carter walk in.  Suddenly he was flooded with relief and the butterflies started kicking up another storm in his stomach.  

Just as Sam was about to speak to the hostess he stood and caught her eye with a slight wave of his hand.  She smiled and began to walk toward him.  He returned the smile with a genuine one of his own.

"Sorry I'm late Sir.  Traffic was hell."

He half chuckled and held out her chair for her.

"First things first Carter, cut the Sir.  We're not at work right now."

"Okay….Jack," she said with a mischievous glimmer in her eye as she slid into her seat.

At that Jack's heart began to thud just a bit harder.

"But on one condition," she added as Jack sat back down.

He looked at her expectantly waiting for the said condition.

"You cut the Carter thing too."

"Fine with me, Samantha."

"Uh, just Sam is fine."

Silence ruled the next few moments as the waiter filled their water glasses and they both skimmed the menus.

The waiter then cleared his throat in hopes of catching their attention.  Even he could feel the tension in the air.  

They both looked up and he inquired whether or not they would like to try the house wine or choose something from the wine list.

Jack briefly flicked his eyes to the list.

"How about the merlot?"

He looked at Sam, then the waiter and back again.

Sam nodded and the waiter retreated to fetch the wine.

"So," Sam started, "This seems like a nice little place.  How did you find it?"

"Um, actually Teal'c mentioned it to me a while back.  Apparently he and Daniel have come out here a few times and Teal'c just raves about the food."

Sam smiled in amusement.

The waiter then returned with the wine.  

After it was poured, swirled, sipped and savored they both agreed it was a good year.

They put their dinner orders in and then returned to their relative silence.

After a while neither one could take it any longer and they both began to speak at the same time.

"So Jack…"

"Uh, Sam…"

Both grinned a bit bashfully then Jack began again.

"Is it ok if I go first?"

"Sure."

"Ok, I really am sorry for the way I acted earlier, but that's not the whole reason I asked you here tonight."

"Really?"  Sam decided she'd let him struggle through this on his own for the moment.  Jack talking openly like that was a rarity and she was not going to let it go to waste.

"Yeah.  The other half is kind of…. selfish…um… personal maybe,"  he said almost guiltily.****

Sam sipped her wine and encouraged him.  "Go on."  She was surprised at his decision to take that route.

"I… well… you know this thing between us.  I just can't leave it in the room anymore Sam.  I don't know what to do, but I…"

Frustration was becoming very apparent on Jacks facial expressions and in is mannerisms.  He looked as if he was going to break apart if he went any further.  

By then Sam had put her glass down and was ringing her napkin between her hands.

"I… I don't know what to say Jack.  I certainly wasn't expecting this."

Jack's face fell.  He just knew her next words were going to cut him down.  It had been too long.  Maybe she had already moved beyond that part of her life.

Her next action caught him by surprise.

He felt her hand rest atop his own and he looked up, straight into her wide blue eyes.  She looked nervous too.

"You're right Jack.  It has stayed in the room too long."

Jack released a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding and turned his hand up to give hers a gentle squeeze.

They both sat as if time had stood still just holding hands and gazing into one another's eyes.

Somewhere during that time the waiter returned with their meal and they had to let go.

Dinner was picked at and pushed around their plates in relative silence.  Some of it was consumed, the rest ended up being boxed to go.

Neither one was ready to go yet though, so coffee was ordered.

Sam sighed, still staring into the contents of her cup and started, "This isn't going to be easy Jack."

"I know, but I really want to give it a go.  That is… if you want to try."

"I do.  I want to give this, us, a chance."

Sam returned his gaze with a hint of a smile and their hands returned to each other for just a moment.

"Come on Sam.  I think we should call it a night."

Jack stood and threw a few bills on the table.  It was more than enough to cover dinner and a tip.

As they were walking out of the restaurant Sam turned to him and asked, "Nice and slow huh?"

"I guess.  For now.  I just really had to get this out in the open.  I don't know where it's gonna take us, or how we're gonna work it out, but…."

They arrived at her car and she put their take out boxes on the roof.

"But what?," She questioned.

"But I need you Sam Carter."

And with that Jack brushed the side of her face with the back of his had and began to slowly lean in for a kiss.

Sam was quick on the pick up and ran both her hands through his hair.  What had started out soft and chaste was quickly turning into a smoldering experience.  

Jack caressed her tongue with his own once more before he pulled back with a ragged breath.

Sam leaned against the side of her car, but was reluctant to let go of Jack's arms.

She eventually came back down to earth to the sound of her name being called.

"Sam."

She looked up to see Jack's clouded eyes roaming her face with adoration.

He knew if he didn't cut it short soon there would be no going home alone.  And as tempting as that was he knew that they had just opened the equivalent to Pandora's box.  They needed to give this time.

Sam saw that in his eyes and released her grip in resignation.  

"Goodnight Sam," Jack said, his voice still raw with emotion.  Then he leaned in and gave her one more chaste kiss on the corner of her pouty mouth.

Pouty.  Huh.  Now that's a look I never thought I'd see on her.

With that he took his take out box of the top of her car and walked off to his truck.

"Goodnight Sir…. Jack," She said with a sigh when he was out of voice range.

Sam climbed into her car, box forgotten on the roof with thoughts of Jack and what she really needed to do with her shower massage when she got home.


End file.
